Philosophy Quote by Voltaire
““I do not know by what power I think; but well I know that I should never have thought without the assistance of my senses. That there are immaterial and intelligent substances I do not at all doubt; but that it is impossible for God to communicate the faculty of thinking to matter, I doubt very much. I revere the Eternal Power, to which it would ill become me to prescribe bounds. I affirm nothing, and am contented to believe that many things are possible than are usually thought so".””
About This Quote
Source Philosophical Essay, 1763
Human cognition depends on sensory input; the existence of immaterial intellect is uncertain, yet belief in possibilities beyond common thought persists.
In simple terms: Thinking relies on senses; mystery remains.
Key Takeaway
Embrace uncertainty and wonder.
Themes
philosophy
epistemology
metaphysics
Mood
contemplative
curious
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- scientific research
- spiritual contemplation
- creative brainstorming
Key Concepts
sensory perception
divine mystery
skepticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What do you doubt about thinking?
- How can mystery inspire inquiry?
A Different Perspective
Limits of understanding may hinder progress.
![“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions of phantasmatical seeming philosophy." [William Petty]” quote by Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e5a/carl-zimmer-16331_knowledge_i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted_1770.jpg)
